HDi fun
TC ModFather
A question posed by myself, I want to know what the appeal of diesel really is.
Is it the fuel economy? If so, does it really make much sense with the price premium for both the car and the fuel price differential?
It's probably fair to say that you can no longer compare performance or specific output any longer. By which I mean that a 2.0 diesel model will flatten an equivalent 2.0 petrol model from the same manufacturer's range. But the diesel model will cost far more to buy and the running costs will probably still be in favour of the petrol car, unless you cover, let's say, 90,000 miles in three years. Whereupon it's probably a close call.
Performance? Would you buy a petrol car over a diesel just, and only for the performance edge? I wouldn't do that either. But does the petrol have the edge? Litre for litre of engine swept volume, no. But large engine petrol cars are bargains of the century at the moment. No-one want's 'em. So go and drive away in your 3.2 V6 knowing that petrol is only 90.0p/litre and that servicing is 30,000 miles! It reasonable that a 2.2 diesel will stay with it in peroformance wise, but at what cost?
Or do we get carried away with the diesel muscle thing? That massive torque at low-mid revs is addictive. It'll fling you into your seat and fling the car foward in a savage way, tyres squealing, even in third. Until, of course, you have to change up a gear. And you'll be doing that not much after 4000rpm. Even the revvy ones won't go much over 5000rpm but there's no point hanging on to lower gears whatsoever to 5k.
Pitch 200bhp diesel against an equivalent 200bhp petrol model. The diesel will always feel faster in any gear because of the ridiculous torque on offer. The petrol car will feel far more sensible because there's not the massive torque peak of the diesel but it can hang on to second gear until well over 70mph.
It's a close call
Thoughts please,
rgds,
Paul.
Is it the fuel economy? If so, does it really make much sense with the price premium for both the car and the fuel price differential?
It's probably fair to say that you can no longer compare performance or specific output any longer. By which I mean that a 2.0 diesel model will flatten an equivalent 2.0 petrol model from the same manufacturer's range. But the diesel model will cost far more to buy and the running costs will probably still be in favour of the petrol car, unless you cover, let's say, 90,000 miles in three years. Whereupon it's probably a close call.
Performance? Would you buy a petrol car over a diesel just, and only for the performance edge? I wouldn't do that either. But does the petrol have the edge? Litre for litre of engine swept volume, no. But large engine petrol cars are bargains of the century at the moment. No-one want's 'em. So go and drive away in your 3.2 V6 knowing that petrol is only 90.0p/litre and that servicing is 30,000 miles! It reasonable that a 2.2 diesel will stay with it in peroformance wise, but at what cost?
Or do we get carried away with the diesel muscle thing? That massive torque at low-mid revs is addictive. It'll fling you into your seat and fling the car foward in a savage way, tyres squealing, even in third. Until, of course, you have to change up a gear. And you'll be doing that not much after 4000rpm. Even the revvy ones won't go much over 5000rpm but there's no point hanging on to lower gears whatsoever to 5k.
Pitch 200bhp diesel against an equivalent 200bhp petrol model. The diesel will always feel faster in any gear because of the ridiculous torque on offer. The petrol car will feel far more sensible because there's not the massive torque peak of the diesel but it can hang on to second gear until well over 70mph.
It's a close call
Thoughts please,
rgds,
Paul.